Machine for packaging merchandise rolls



' C. J.GERLACH MACHINE FOR PACKAGING MERCHANDISE ROLLS Dec. 11, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 3, 1947 INVENTOR. W

Dec, 11, 1951 c. J. GERLACH 2,578,297

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING-MERCHANDISE ROLLS Filed Nov. 3, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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1951 c. J. GERLACH 2,578,297

' I MACHINE FOR PACKAGING MERCHANDISE RQLLS Filed Nov. :5, 1947 e Shee-ts$heet s BWMZW Dec. 11, 1951 C- J. GERLACH MACHINE FOR PACKAGING MERCHANDISE ROLLS e sheets-sheet 4 I Filed Nov. 3, 1947 Dec. 11, 1951 c. J. GERLACH 2,578,297

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING MERCHANDISE ROLLS Filed Nov. :5, 1947 6 Sheets-sheaf. 5

Dec. 11, 1951 c, 2,578,297

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING MERCHANDISE ROLLS Filed Nov. 5, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Dec. 11 1951 as'zazgr,

MACHINE; FOR

PACKAGING. Mnncn Nn sEv.

This invention is directed to a novel machine de i o .v au omatica y. n continuously wrapping paper rolls-and to the method of tucking and forming the ends'of paper roll packages and to continuous application of the wrappers or labels to the --roll packages as the same are continuously fed through the device.

Itis an important object of-my invention to provide an automatic-machine of the described class which includes a-driven means for regulating the feeding of paper rolls to the machine; a means for applying a strip of glue to the feed rolls;- an elevator for supporting a stack of-labels or wrappers in thepath of the rolls being'fed and whereby each roll-will pick up one label. to

cause it to be rolled-orenveloped about the paper roll; means for applying a second area of glue tc-each paper rollas itgis passingabove thelabel stack; means for continuing therolling movement of the paper-roll until the adhesion ofithe; second area of glue completes afilxation of the .op-

folding against. the ends of paper rolls the opposite end parts of. a wrapper or label, surrounding the paper roll, and for delivering the; fully wrapped rolls to manually accessible positiorisio be packed into, containers andthe like.

A further object of my inventionis thaprovision of automatic meansfor applying; intermittently-:glue areasto a traveling paper roll, first applying one glue area and causing it to pick up and roll a labelabout it and applying ascoond glue area justbefore completion of the. enveloping movement, and thereby .mounting the label or wrapperv about the roll a cylindrical form.

A further object 501- my invention is the provision of a mechanical elevator, for a staclg of -.labels or wrappers and power driven means ior slowly vraising said elevator so as, to cause the uppermost of a stack of labels to be maintained at a level so, that aglue-bearing paper roll during its enforcedtravel will-pick up such uppermost label.

Aiurther object of myinventionisthe provision ofmechanical means,in cooperation with arota a eicon eyo .i011 p p r ol s w ich lu a e tratedanddescribed intlifollowiiig" Cl-r2353);

pmieciinsmap er eva iz r i eg l mera q man mmxiap q se aimevention will be apparent from the foll" A N sqr i oe a p es la s- Thisinvn o onepre'jerredform) l s;i1lus'- W ecification having numerals of the referencesbor'rieorf' the accompanstingld tawinsa.

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1 11a 1L is a; side. lem-mom} View sai in with the i etlwallllr m yesi a s. eahow. parts. and withlos tein ar s b ken we! Eis- 2 ins-atop plan .view e mo kin -wil upper w llxemoxe Figis all. ars d; viewilpqlsinam .29,-

* tiongoilthe. jack shaft:

i Fig.- 4 s an enlargedsid .sl ra onalx q Off lue applyinsimeans fl ih forcin therolls, alQn ihmrl-pa.

.overthestackloil bel Big. .5 (ane larged isyiz eq i asiat a section lof the.,rotatable, mer.n m i9ni lin .rigureh out, am s laawiemshe-wiie aih mounting means iorlone o f th tucke wlo qi i s e '9. showin otthadr ve 9' .for m L fi ure/: 2. salt nviewpi abse t-0i: i gmacbin showi p of the dri elnieclialiismlfmzihfll l yator- Fig/1176;2 :41 a ersn qtivemis 1. 1s togth sd cawiasel stetsnqem va 1M de g ates a-i lam 1 ch'rmqludes base wall s lz and Na "d 11:5 onl the is Said walls are assembled and secured o by. su table. lfa iex sa lemem (99 v par s] or -.w ,1 c a es ownin A Num ral-.116 Freer? its. l ui slela summe secured on the inside faces of side walls I4 and I I5 is a jack shaft 22 on which is mounted a pulley 23. A pair of smaller grooved pulleys 24 and 25 are securely mounted on shaft 22.. A belt 26 transmits power from the motor pulley to the pulley 23 and shaft 22. Another grooved pulley 21 is secured on said shaft 22 (as shown in Fig.

3) and which is adapted to drive an endless feeder metal guard 29 is suitably secured above apron 28 to'provide an entrance chute or tunnel for paper rolls.

Description of means for holding labels and for 4 raising same to desired level during continuou operation As shown in Fig. l, numeral 30 designates a tubular vertical member which is secured on base 31 which is secured to base I I. Slidably mounted in member '30 is a post or-tubular element 32 which has suitably secured thereon a vertical rackbar 33 whose teeth are partially exposed through an opening in the upper part of member 30 (as also shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2).

As shown in Fig. 2, a stub shaft 34 is horizontally-journaled in wall I5 and in a suitable :bracket 35 (which is secured on the side of member 30). Said shaft 34 has a pinion 35 secured thereon, said pinion meshing with rack bar 33. The other end of shaft 34 has a toothed sprocket or ratchet gear 31 thereon (see Fig. 2). As shown in Fig. 2, the outer projecting end of the shaft has a hand wheel I02 thereon to selectively operate said shaft manually. I As shown in Fig. 1, secured on the upper end of slidable element 32 is a flat elevator support or panel 39 which is movable within a stationary "upwardly opening bottomless magazine guide member or container 38' comprising four vertical connected wall panels for labels or Wrappers, and which container is supported by suitable brackets "with respect to the frame, as shown in Fig. 2.

The dimensions of the elevator member 39 and container 38 may be varied to accord with the size of labels or wrappers used.

Numeral 40 designates a speed reducer secured 'angularly on a base M, which base is secured to the bottom'base member 'I I. 1

Speed reducer 4D has a lower driven shaft 42 which carries pulley 43 and an endless belt 44 'pawl 41 has one end pivoted non-concentrically on an eccentric stud member which is mounted fon shaft 45.

Shaft I05 is journaled in a pair of spaced apart bearings I06 and in a plane above shaft 45, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The opposite pointed 4 end of pawl 41 is normally held in engagement with sprocket or ratchet wheel 31 by a spring 48 which is anchored to side Wall I5. A short dog 49 is mounted on one end portion of a rockable journaled handle I08 which is journaled in side wall I5. The outer bent end of said handle I08 permits selective manual gravity descent of the elevator. Dog 49 engages the teeth of ratchet wheel 3'! to prevent its clockwise rotation. Shaft 45 and pulley 46 are driven'clockwise. An endless belt l2I drivingly connects pulleys 46 and I04 (see Fig.2).

As the ratchet wheel 31 is slowly driven counter-clockwise, the pinion 36 is correspondingly stantially maintain the uppermost of the stack of labels in alignment with the inner end portion of the apron 28 and so that the fed rolls will have a substantially straight path.

Description of roll feeding means and glue applying means Metal upwardly extending brackets or arms H2 and H3, which carry anti-friction bearings I25 in their upper ends, are secured at their lower ends to the spaced apart transverse bar I23, which bar extends horizontally and is suitably secured at its ends in side walls I4 and I5, as shown in Fig. 2. Shaft 50 is journalled in bearings I25.

Upwardly extending metal brackets H4 and I I5 (shown in end view in Fig. 2) have their lower ends suitably secured on the second horizontal bar I24 whose ends are suitably secured to the side walls I4 and I5. Said brackets H4 and H5 have suitable bearings I25 mounted in their upper ends on which is journaled shaft 5I.

As shown in Fig. 8 vertically extending frames III] and III are supported in spaced apart parallel relation by shafts and SI, said shafts being journalled in suitably spaced passages in said frames. Said frames provide a means for supporting the glue containing and applying devices herein described.

Shaft 50 has secured on one end thereof a pulley 54 (Fig. 9) which is driven from jack shaft 22 and pulley 21 through an endless belt 55. A pair of flat pulleys 56 are secured in spaced position on shaft 50 (see Fig. 3), and a pair'of fiat pulleys 51 are secured in spaced position on shaft 5i as shown in Fig. 9. A pair of endless fiat belts 58 are mounted on and ride on aligned pulleys 55 and on aligned pulleys 51 respectively.

Shaft 50 has a small pulley 59 secured thereon which is connected by an inverted round belt 60 to drive a larger pulley 6| which is secured on shaft 62 (as shown in Fig. l). Shaft 62 is journaled in suitable passages in side Walls I4 and I5, as shown in Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. l, a star wheel or roll separator 64 is secured on shaft 62 so that its arms will rotate clockwise through a central slot of apron 28 and regulate the feeding of the delivered rolls so that same are fed one at a time and at the proper speed to the trackway below belts 58.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9,'a glue container 65 is secured by means of screws and a bracket 65 on frames I It and I I I. A glue roller 61 is mounted on journaled glue shaft II'I. Said shaft is journaled in bracket IIB. This shaft has extensions on either side to which are fastened shown in Fig. 9.

fiat pulleys H a ..and;.-l l9.;which .rida-nmbeltsjt and are. turned bysame.

Glue container.- 65. has -.a slotted-opening 105111 one .end thereof as shown in-Eig,.'; 10,;--inwhich a :part of :glue roller; 6.1.-is..disposed; Asshownvin Figs. 8, 9, 'and l1,a-ma-nual1y. adjustable-yer.- tically movable soraperand closure.;ele nent.. .i63 is slldablyv mounted. .in. :anczapertured; ear.;;63c, which ear is carried by one; :end of container and in a verticalpassage in-bracket... .Said scraper =63 also acts asan.adjustable-.closure..-.or1:the slotted outlet opening as recess [2 0.; in container 65'. Scraper and closure B3 is providedtwithua grippable handle 63b. .Aupair oi'..screwsxli'tcv (as shown in Figs. 8, '10 .and 11): are provided stoiadjust vertically and secure bracket 11:03 ;in desired :position according tothe amount oiliquid glue to be allowed to pass to roller'fi'l;

-Glue roller 61 is sodisposedthat the-wound paper rolls falling throughthe chute will contactssaid glue roll and thereby: causeradhesion of a strip or area of glue on eachroll. Thezrolls will continue to roll as indicated in .Fig. 1 so that such first applied glue area will contact the. forward edge portion ofthe uppermost label of the stack of labels. The frictional-engagement of the moving bolts 58- will continue to roll each paper roll and wind a label partlyabout it. When each roll reaches a predetermined point, a second glue roller 68 will be contacted I 'by the paper roll to thereby apply anotherstrip of glue to the surface of the paper roll adjacent to the first part of the label already cemented to the roll.

As shown in Fig. 9, roller 68 is journaled on a suitable shaft 69, which shaft: in turn is journaled in aligned passages-ofa bracket 10. Bracket 18 is secured by screws to. a horizontal cross bar 53 as shown in Fig. 9.

- Numeral H designates -a:second.slotted glue container which is. secured on bracket H1v as .An adjustable closure and scraper 52 is slidably mounted. on the .end of said glue container to providefor selectively adjusting the glue outlet and to regulate-the amount of glue which will be carriedby glueroller .68.

- As the paper roll is continued in its rolling movement by the belts 58 .theend portiongtto which glue has beenlest applied) Will be pressed against the wound paper roll to. complete the mountin ofthe label o wr pper-.intdcylindricalformand with, its end portions projecting beyond the oppositev ends of the paper. 17011.

Description of mechanism jortncking. .joldml, and forming the .endportionsof the. labels or wrappers A shaft ll has-its opposit .endsvjournaled in *bearings l2 and l2a (see' Figs. 1', 2 and.4).

As shown in Fig. 2, a driven pulley 513-011 the end of shaft "H is driven clockwise (looking at Fig. 1) throughendless belt 18 fromhpulley 24 1 on jack shaft 22.

A short sleevel5 is .rotatably-imountedonshaft II .and has securely mounted on-it two spaced iapartpulleys 13 and]? as ShOWIl'iIi Fig. 2. Pulley TB 011 the outer end of shaft This driven through an endless belt M from pulley lll4-on shaft- I65, which shaft and pulley in turn are driven from the speedereducer through belt l2l, K

able tucking and. sliding =shafts --hereinafter vdes 6 scri ed: throu h. two round belts.- .91 wh sid onctwo s ries of pulleys 9.0 .and;83-.:.(see Fig-:71),

Assh wn in Fie..:.2,...the opposite. end-aiportion Qf:..Shaflit-.2Tl i siournalled within. a. metal sleeve 15a..- which :in turn; v i.ournaled in. wall cl 4;by means of; bearingfl z. v ,Apu-lley 1.3.aissecured on the.out r..-nroiectine end oi sleeve. 7.5a. .and;said hulleyqisedriven by a twisted belt; from. pulley 2.4%.0151 jack, shaft 22,. in av directioncountereto the.direct onoiro a ion ofsleeve 15.

1 119; designates a .metal wheelelike roll conveyor having aplurality of. relatively deep andwide recesses opening-on its periphery as .shown in Fig. 1. Said recesses or pocketsare of suf .cient size to receive. a normalsizepaperroll. A plurality of fiat ended projections 19a .areutberee .bv-.:fo med etween said recesses-.res ective1y.

. SecuredOn both sides of said .conveyonarep pluralityipreferablylil) of angularly offset-metal radiallyextending metal tuckingand.iournaling brackets I09, each of which is secured by four screws!!! to the side face of, the conveyor..;as showmin Figs. 5; and 6. Said journaling brackets arebifurcatedat their outer ends andsuch bifurcat d portions have aligned. apertures therein. in. which are rslidably and rotatably mounted ymetal relatively short. tucking shafts ,llfl, ashshown in Figs. 1, and 2,. Securedon .each of the ,sha. ts. between. thetad'jacent; bifurcated ends. of; the bracket is a small grooved pulley.83. Eachnshaftwpreierably has a. ball,. be aring.;98 mounted initsouter endportion.

s ownin e- 2., the inner endof eachotf the tucking shafts 82 carries. an enlarged memberxilehcn. the inner Y end of which i s c red th reduced end portion of a spiral spring 85; Whose fr eendi rela v y. lar er- Each of the bifurcated end portionsotbrac ets 1119; has a second pair of .hOlGS transversely through. it and in which is slidably mounted. a headed guide rod v86v which is parallel .to, and spaced ;from the adjacent shaft 82. The inner end .of each. guide rodtfi is bent substantially at right, angles and is connected to member :84 :of each. suchshaft 82, respectively. Mounted upon each guide rod 86 is a metal expansion spring 8"! Whose expansive action normally presses the adjacent shaft 82 tooutvrardprojected positionv and .awayirom the wheel-like conveyor 19.

. Horizontally extending on each side face of conveyor i'l9. .and in equal spaced. apart perpendicular.positionsypartly beneath the brackets I119 are an equal number (preferably 9) -of fixed shaftsv .88. which. extend transversely, though parallel, with respect to shafts 82 in brackets 89. .Eachof said shaftsail has an idle pulley .90 secured at its free end, which pulleys are in alignment with corresponding pulleys 33 on shafts 82. Said pulleys 83 are in alignment with .thosepulleys 90 which are on the same-side. of :the conveyor.

.As illustrated in Fig. 7 an endless belt 9| is mounted about pulley H on sleeve 15 and in zlg-zag-relation abouteach outer pulley 83, and alternately about the adjacent idler pulleysllll, as illustrated in Fig. 1 in dotted lines.

Asthe belt 13 is driven from pulley IM'the sleeve 15 is rotatedclockwiseand thebeltafll is rotated clockwise and in turn the respective pulleys B3 andshafts 82 will be rotated clockwise. There are two of the belts 9| (only one being shown in Fig. l), and two groups-of the pulleys Tl; the-second pulley 11a being on the opopsite side of the conveyor (see Fig. 4). There arealso 10 mounting brackets carrying 10 shafts 82 and corresponding adjacent parts on the side of the conveyor opposite to the viewer of Fig. 1.

Secured by bolts on the inside of the opposite side walls of the frame walls 14 and I and adjacent the outlet end of the machine are two cam blocks or tracks 93 and 84, as shown in Fig. 2. When the outer ends of shafts 82 pass the faces 94a and 93a of said cam blocks, the rotating shafts 82 will slide back and be returned to original positions by the expansive action of springs 81 respectively on guide rods 86 to the degree permitted by their mountings and during such return, the same will slide along the inclined faces 94b and 93b of said cam blocks.

Referring to the right hand part of Fig. l, numeral [I2 designates a side view of a curved metal apron which has a large central recess (not shown) through which the end portions of conveyor 19 pass during rotation. Said apron is secured on end wall l3 by suitable screws (not shown), said wall having a delivery opening through which the rolls roll out as illustrated.

Numeral H3 designates an end section of an endless conveyor belt mounted upon a roller or pulley H4 which is journalled on a suitably mounted shaft I16. Said conveyor section is merely illustrative and not a part of my machine.

The wound rolls of paper roll into the space and channel between guard 29 and apron 28. Star wheel 64 is rotated clockwise, its shaft 62 being driven from a pulley on shaft 56 through a twisted belt. The arms of star wheel 64 pick up only one paper roll at a time and feed same into the space below belts 58. As the roll has passed through the channel before it has been engaged by the star wheel it has engaged the glue roll 68 so that a spot of glue adheres to its outer face.

The belts 58 are rotated counter-clockwise (looking at Fig. 1) through belt driven connecting pulleys 21 and 54 on shaft 22. Belts 58 cause each paper roll to roll to the right, and the spot of glue first applied to the roll adheres to the end edge of the top-most label of the stack of labels causing such label to be wound about the roll.

When the paper roll has reached a point slightly past mid-way the engagement thereof with roller 68 applies a second spot or area of glue to the face of the roll which is so faced that when the roll of paper reaches the spaces below the right-hand end portion of the two belts 58 the right-hand end portion of the topmost label will be pressed into contact with the spot or area of glue also applied to the face of the roll by the roller 68. Accordingly the special adhesion will hold the paper label or wrapper in cylindrical form with opposite end portion thereof projecting outwardly.

As each roll with wrapper mounted thereon in the manner described passes out from under the belts 58 and along the metal apron 98 it will engage the end face of one of the projections 19a of the roll conveyor, and as the conveyor i9 is rotating in a clockwise direction looking at Fig. 1, the roll will fall into the first recess Bil by gravity, and each succeeding roll will likewise successively fall into such recesses 80 respectively.

As the conveyor rota.es in clockwise direction the ball bearings 96 on the end of the slidable shafts 82 will engage the gradually inclined trackways or faces 93a and Ma respectively of the two mounted and opposite blocks 93 and 9 respectively. As the rotating movements continue the shafts 82 are gradually. pressed inwardly as 8 indicated in Fig. 2, and at the same time the shafts 82 shown in the lower part of Fig. 2 are rotated clockwise, and the shafts 82 on the opposite side of the machine are rotated clockwise with respect to a viewer looking at the machine from the top side of Fig. 2. Accordingly the spiral springs 85 are rotated clockwise simultaneously with the movement toward conveyor 79, with the result that the enlarged end portions of said s ring 85 frictionally engage oppositely cylindrical portions of the wrappers or labels so as to. twist such projecting label portions spirally and press such portions against the opposite ends of the paper roll. As such rotating and inwardly pressing action is simultaneous against opposite projecting parts of the label or wrapper and is of substantially equal force the paper rolls will continue to be maintained within said recesses 80.

As the outer end portions of the shafts 82 and their bearings 96 pass the innermost portions of the track faces 93a and 94a, the shafts will gradually return to their outer original positions as their end portions slide along the beveled faces 94?) and 93b respectively of blocks 94 and 93. When each roll has moved to the right-hand part of the machine, the bifurcated curved portions of the apron H2 will engage the opposite end portions of each roll to cause each such roll with wrapper thereon to be rolled outwardly from the conveyor recesses and out through the exit opening in the end wall ii of the machine to fall by gravity either into a receptacle (not shown) or upon an endless conveyor H3 as mouned on pulley I He, only fragment of which is illustrated in Fig. 1.

As the successive rolling of rolls of paper in the manner described causes successive picking up of the labels or wrappers as described, the elevator 39 is relatively slowly raised upwardl by the described mechanism which includes the reciprocating pawl l! driven through shaft 25, successively engage the teeth of sprocket 3?, which in turn slowly rotates shaft 34 and pinion 36 causing relatively slow elevation of rack bar 33 and consequent elevation of the tubular element 32, elevator support 39 and the wrappers and labels thereon. The ratio of movement is adjusted through the relative ratio and sizes of the men.ioned pulleys, the speed reducer and said sprocket and driven pinionso that the uppermost of a stack of labels or wrappers will be maintained in substantially a plane tangential with respect to circumferences of the rolls fed by the belts 53. The present invention has been described herein more or less as to details, yet it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby, as changes may be made in the arrangement and proportion of parts and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a machine for wrapping cylindrical roll packages, and including a driven mechanism for rolling and feeding the roll packages, an adjustable vertically movable elevator, a walled container disposed above said elevator said container being adapted to hold a stack of labels with the uppermost in the path of the packages, a driven mechanism for gradually raising said elevator, a driven means for applying two separate glue areas to the packages, said labels being adapted to stick to said packages when said packages are rolled on said labels, and means to fold, twist and form the projecting portions of the labels over the ends of the contents of the packages; said last men- "tioned'meanscomprising a "driven'wheel-like annular conveyor having spaced peripheral recesses :annular conveyor; a plurality ofslidableshafts journaled with respect to said rotatable conveyor and havingend portions extending outward and having the opposite ends thereof extending inward with respect to said conveyor; spiral springs "mounted on the inner ends ofsaid slidable shafts; spring elements connected to said shafts for returning same to outward non-operating positions driven mechanism for rotating said shafts on said conveyor; and 1 a pair of stationary cam tracks mounted adjacent each side of conveyor; said fshafts; upon rotation of said conveyor, being adapted-to engage said cam tracks respectively *to" cause inward sliding of said shafts during their "rotation and duringthe rotation of said conveyor;

's'a'id spiral springs on the inner ends of said shafts :being adapted to be thereby rotated toth'ereby twist and fold the projecting parts of labelsor slidably mounted and journalled in each of said brackets; means for rotating said shafts; said shafts being aligned with the central part of said recesses respectively; spiral springs on the inner ends of said shafts; mechanism for rotation of I said conveyor; a cam block mounted on each side of said conveyor and in a path to be engaged by the outer ends of said shafts respectively; the rotation of said shafts and springs during movement of said conveyor causing said springs to twist and fold the opposite projecting portions of the wrappers of the merchandise packs; and means for returning said shafts to their outer positions.

3. In a machine for Wrapping cylindrical packages including a driven mechanism for regulating the feeding of such packages successively, a wrapper applying means, and a glue applying mechanism; a driven turret-like conveyor having a plurality of peripheral package receiving recesses therein; a plurality of journalling brackets in spaced relation secured on opposite sides of said conveyor; a rotatable shaft carried by and slidable in each of said brackets and substantially perpendicularly to said conveyor; inwardly extending yieldable springs on the inner ends of said shafts respectively; driven mechanism for rotating said shafts and springs; elongated Sta-- tionary cam blocks mounted adjacent opposite sides of said conveyor; said shafts, when said conveyor is rotated, successively engaging said cam blocks to thereby cause inward movement of said springs; the movement of said conveyor being adapted to carry the label-bearing packages in an arcuate path during which movement said rotated springs will engage the projecting label end portions to crimp and fold same against the ends of said packages respectively.

4. A label applying machine substantially as recited in claim 3 and including mechanism for rotating the shafts and springs thereon on one side of said annular conveyor in'onedir'ection and'the shafts and'sp'rings on the opposite side of'sai'd conveyor in 'the opposite direction during simultaneous rotation of said annular conveyor whereby the projecting opposite end portions of each label on each package will be twisted and folded in opposite directions.

5. Ina device for holding and crimping the end portions of wrappersof substantial cylindrical merchandise packages, said machine having a driven annularperipherally recessed Conveyor; a plurality of journalling brackets connected 'on'opposite sides of said conveyor; a shaft slidable and rotatable in each of said brackets; inwardly projecting yieldable springs on the inner ends of said shafts; elongated stationary cam tracks mounted at oppositesides of said conveyor; -'a guide rod journalled ineach of said brackets and having one of its ends connected to theadjacent 20' slidable shaft; a return springmounte'd on each of said guide rods, said shafts being adapted to slidably engagesaidcam tracks to cause inward movement of said shafts and said springs',-the rotation of said shaft and springs during'movement of saidconveyo'r causing said'Springsto rotate and thereby fold and crimp the opposite projecting end portions of wrappers of merchandise packs carried in the recesses of said conveyor, the engagement of said shafts with said tracks, when said conveyor is rotated, being adapted to cause inward movement of said shafts and springs operatively connected to said shafts; said return springs being adapted to return said shafts to their outer positions.

6. In a machine for wrapping wrappers about a cylindrical merchandise object, means for applying a wrapper about said object so that each wrapper has loose oppositely projecting parts substantially defining a cylinder; a driven annular conveyor having a plurality of spaced apart recesses opening on the periphery of said conveyors; a plurality of apertured journalling brackets secured on both sides of said conveyor; slidable and rotatable shafts journalled in said brackets, said shafts being disposed in substantial alignment with the central portion of said recesses; driven mechanism for said shafts and for moving said conveyor said shafts being rotatable independently of said conveyor; a pair of stationary cam tracks mounted substantially adjacent the opposite sides of said conveyor; yieldable spiral springs on the inner ends of said slidable shafts; the outer ends of said shafts being adapted to successively slide on said cam tracks to cause gradual inward sliding thereof and the rotation of said shafts and of said springs thereon being adapted to cause twisting and folding movements of the projecting end portions of the wrapper and to pack such wrapper end portions against the opposite ends of the merchandise rolls; and spring means operatively connected to said slidable shafts to return same to outermost positions after same have disengaged said cam tracks.

7. In combination. with a machine for applying and folding wrappers or the like about merchandise packages, said machine having a supporting frame and a turret-like conveyor rotatably mounted with respect to said frame and being movable in a vertical plane, said conveyor having a plurality of spaced, peripheral package-receiving recesses, and having means for feeding packages successively to said recesses; a plurality of spaced apart journalling brackets secured on opposite side faces of said conveyor and in positions substantially adjacent said conveyor recesses, the

brackets on opposite sides of said conveyor adja- ;cent each recess being in substantial alignment with each other; a shaft slidably and rotatably journalled in each of said brackets and being substantially perpendicular to said conveyor; driven mechanism for selectively rotating on one side of said conveyor in one direction and for rotating the shafts on the opposite side of said elongated cam tracks connected to said frame and being onopposite sides of said conveyor in the normal path of travel of the outer ends of said shafts-the rotation of said conveyor carrying said shafts into engagement with said cam tracks to thereby cause progressive inward movement of said shaits and said yieldable springs, the simultaneous rotation and inward movements of said shafts causing said yieldable springs to fold and form the opposite end portions of the wrappers against packages, said spring means retracting said shaftsupon disengagement thereof from said cam track.

CARL J. GERLACH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,282,699 Knapp Oct. 22, 1918 1,337,693 Dewey Apr. 20, 1920 1,629,525 Parsons May 24, 1927 1,702,276 Shaffer Feb. 19, 1929 1,987,482 Mandell Jan. 8,.1935 2,049,759 Blosser et a1 Aug. 4, 1936 2,084,962 Slade June 22, 1937 2,110,814 Parsons Mar. 8, 1938 2,110,815 Parsons Mar. 8, 1938 2,131,668 Parsons Sept. 28, 1938 2,261,344 Delegard Nov. 4, 1941 2,363,751 Schultz Nov. 28, 1944 2,383,664 Malhoit Aug. 28, 1945 

